A RARE GERMAN SILVER CONTAINER FOR COLLECTING ALMS (KLINGELBEUTEL)

LÜBECK, CIRCA 1690, MAKER'S MARK B IN A CIRCLE

Details

A RARE GERMAN SILVER CONTAINER FOR COLLECTING ALMS (KLINGELBEUTEL)
Lübeck, circa 1690, maker's mark B in a circle
The cylindrical body repoussé, chased and pierced with flowers, scrolling foliage and a figure of Saint Peter holding the key, the base repoussé with a coat-of-arms of a stag holding a trefoil in its mouth beneath a helm and engraved "Nicolas Hüppert, Junior, Ao 1697", the silver handle with two hanging bells, marked on border
21 cm. (8¼ in.) high
528 gr. (16 oz.)

Engraved

Lot Essay

The coat-of-arms is that of Nikolaus Hupper, from a Lübeck family. He is recorded as being a patron of the St. Jacobi Church in Lübeck in the late 17th century.

A similar alms container (Klingelbeutel) also made in Lübeck, maker's mark EAM, 1698, is part of the Lübeck Museum collection and is illustrated in M. Rosenberg, Der Goldschmiede Merkzeichen, Frankfurt, 1923 vol. II, pl. 62.

More from Important European Silver

View All